Talk to me about vintage Goldwings!!!
 

So, i have a buddy looking to pass on a project bike to me, being a 1981 Goldwing Interstate... the price would be almost nothing to me, and would be a complete bike (possibly engine siezed, but he has 2 more to send with it, and the trans and shaft drive are free and rotating)

What do i need to know when looking at these bikes? I know theres at least one person that has some vintage goldwing love here... my thoughts are how easy it may be to kinda spruce it up and maybe kinda dirt road it a bit ala big BMW kind of thing?

Anything i should watch out for that may be a deal breaker, even at a stupid cheap price?

what kind of overall condition is it in right now? stored outside? neglected? bikes this old will be scarce to find parts for. even parts you find may not be in good enough condition. I've rescued a few bikes and seems they always end up costing more than I expected.

Timing belts would probably number one. If the PO can't tell you when they were last changed, don't attempt to crank the engine. That could be a moot point, thought, with the engine seized.

Alternators can be a weak point. IIRC, access is basically removing the bike from around the engine. Heck, electrics in general should be inspected. Even if good, upgrading to modern components is not a bad idea.

All the bad said, I'd love to have an 81-83 120 mph sofa of my own.

The history i know of the bike is the last 10 yrs has been stored in a garage, prior to that, no clue. As far as timing belts, i am a subaru guy...LOL i know all about that... as for overall condition? Not sure yet, gotta go look at it, but i am not gonna complain if its in decent shape as it will cost me sub $300...

I had a 78 for a few years. Be sure to check the gas tank for rust and also the removable section of the frame below the left side of the engine. It was prone to water getting inside and rusting from the inside out. Also check the alternator plug for signs of overheating. Carbs can be a PITA if there is corrosion and gunk from sitting a long time. You'll need a mercury stick or good set of vacuum guages to get them right.

I do know that a semi local guy fabs a single carb intake for the older wings.

Check the drive splines on the rear wheel for wear. The replaceable coupler on the rear wheel will wear quickly if reinstalled with the slightest bit of mis-alignment. My almost brother in law can tell you all about that.

Also, the plenum o-rings tend to dry rot and are hard to find replacements for. They are a square profile. I made a bunch for my buddy in Finland out of Viton fuel line for his 83. I still have that piece fuel if you find you need any.

My brother picked up a 1985 GL1200 about a year ago, that needed work. Ran good though. Just old. It's the fancy one with all the trimmings. It's been ok. His wife likes her Barco Lounger on the back.
He's had issues with all the old stuff leaking, rubber and whatnot. Just put a new fuel pump on it this week. It was leaking. Of course, his had all the old stereo/CB stuff wired in he had to remove, to upgrade. What a freaking spaghetti mess. Miles of wire.
The front calipers are notorious for leaking fluid and virtually impossible to repair. Took him three tries and he gave up. It finally quit leaking on its own over a month or so. It has the split braking system on his year. The rear pedal clamps the rear rotor and one of the front rotors. There's been other things on it he's had to do but nothing too catastrophic.
Once he got it straightened out, he road it about three hours to my house.
I got a chance to ride it. My impressions:
Not either terribly fast or powerful. Very mundane. Smooth though.
Drivers seat ergo was amazingly cramped for how huge the thing is. Electro Glides have more driver space. My Victory TC was a lounge chair compared to it.
Handled pretty good for s steam ship but REALLY easy to drag the boards.
Main thing is he really likes it. Very cruise-able living in the flats
He's been on this site before. Maybe he'll chime in.

This is 2LZ's bro. He pretty much nailed it.

I bought the GL1200 as a COVID boredom project January 2020. Found it on CL locally. It was garaged and sitting for several years, but had an owner who looked like he took care of it. The cosmetics were excellent for a 35 yr old bike. It ran on choke only. Also the brakes and clutch didn't work. PO said the stator and charging system were good. Thankfully he was right.

All I did was flush the hydraulics on the brakes and clutch and they worked fine, except the left front caliper wept a bit. That's the one operated by the front hand brake lever. The rear and right front discs are operated by the read brake pedal. The front brake on this bike is for decoration only. Grabbing a big handful of front brake only suggests a stopping reaction. Stabbing the rear brake pedal hauls it down pretty good.

For the engine, all I did was pull and clean the carbs, especially the pilot jets. All were completely clogged with ethanol residue. Engine runs like a scalded cat. Smooth and crisp.

2LZ was a little harsh on the description of the engine performance. The bike is 700lbs dry. It's not going to be quick. And the ergonomics are good for someone 5'-10" or shorter. I"m 6'-1" and it's cramped. The engine just gets in the way of your feet. It's also not a great fit for riding in the hilly, twisty region 2LZ lives in. I live out in the valley flats where you gotta be going 65+mph to not get squashed. It thrives there. It's heavy, comfortable, and stable in the wind. The big wind screen is also a bonus in traffic with the turbulent air.

This is a bike I'll probably keep for a while. It's reliable, comfortable and my wife likes riding on the back. It's a 700lb BarcaLounger.

I tried to upload a picture, but the size limit of 193 kb blocked me...

Good luck with the project!

.....and I'm NOT harsh! Dad always liked you better anyway. :-p

:hmm: :p :yay:

LOL thanks for the comments guys, my current want for this is a commuter, all roads to and from work are 55mph or lower posted, but i find if i drive with the flow of traffic on the main route, we are usually averaging 70mph or better... and my Roketa cant do that... i have never gone over 67, and that was downhill with a steady tailwind..... so, a cruiser seemed like it might be a good option, especially for the price...

carbs are nothing for me, as i am a small engine mechanic... i clean and tune carbs in my sleep... any rubber would be getting replaced, and i would probably start off with fresh brake lines, possibly masters and calipers if i can get them....

They covered most everything. I love the original GL1000's myself, especially the 75-77's. Once you sort out most of the issues usually related to age, they can be great bikes. The only real downside is if the motor itself needs a rebuild. The main and rod bearings don't exist. NOS or Aftermarket. The closest you get is a gentelman in the UK that sells a bearing kit that requires the journals to be machined down a bit.

If i do end up grabbing it, it will come with 2 extra complete motors so i would think of the 3 there would be at least one good set that could be put together...

I honestly have no idea how some guy your height can even fit on one!

I think i will be ok... im 6'3" and i ride a supermoto'd roketa... i am used to cramped...LOL noe, if i could figure out how to swap the gl1100 driveline to the roketa.... LOL